


A Strange Kind of Love

by Bmarvels



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Alternate Universe - Werewolf
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 18:14:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20313853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bmarvels/pseuds/Bmarvels
Summary: Levy frequents the local library as her place of solace from her crazy family. Things become a bit more crazy when a stranger rides into town looking for an ancient and mysterious book. Seems like he finds more than what he was searching for.





	1. Love Bites...Literally

Hiding in the corners of her favorite library, Levy relaxes in a plush armchair with a stack of books sitting next to her. She was a frequent visitor and sometimes the only one on rainy days like today. The librarian seemed like your typical crotchety old lady who scolds anyone daring to make a peep in her quiet space, but truly she was a kindred soul with a strong love for the binded souls tucked away on her shelves. Levy adored the sweet lady sharing their love for books amidst the rise in technology and their craving for the quiet, small spaces in life. It was a great escape for Levy when she needed to get away from her pack. Her pack ran on old traditions of always needing to be together, to protect one another in order to keep their secret safe from the humans, but it wasn’t the life Levy had chosen for herself. More was expected from her being a “pure bred” as they call it, such as finding a mate within the pack, or better yet choosing the next alpha as her mate. The bluenette girl would just roll her eyes at the proposition. She didn’t want a mate out of obligation. If she decides to be with someone, she wanted it to be out of love. Of course, her family refused to understand her and blamed the silly books for filling her head with fairytales.

Shaking her head as if to erase her thoughts, Levy tries to focus back on her book, until the familiar jingle of the front door catches her attention. _ Someone actually came out in this pouring rain? That’s a first, _ she thinks to herself. Looking down at the pages in front of her, her mind curiously drifts to who would be in the library at this time. She knew most of the library’s visitors with how often she stayed and the small town they’re in, but none of them ever braved a storm to come. That’s why they were her favorite days. Gently, she closes the book in her hand and sets it aside as she creeps around the corner of her hidden spot. Her nose only mostly picks up the wet smell brought in by the downpour raging outside. The smell of wet carpet to be exact from the door rug catching the visitor’s puddle of water, dripping from their body. The large being covered completely by a trench coat until he took it off to hang by the door, careful to not let the water spread any further into the library. A silent gasp leaves the watchful girl’s lips as she takes in the form of the new visitor.

His long unruly black hair bound in a low ponytail at the nape of his neck, a thin, black long sleeved shirt clinging to every rippling muscle from his broad shoulders, his large biceps, and if the rest of his shirt clung to his body like the sleeves did, she imagined the rest of him to be just as toned and muscular. He wasn’t someone she could easily forget with his large, towering frame and piercing gaze that stares straight through her. A quiet squeak startles her as she hurries back to her corner after realizing he had caught her staring at him. Levy hears him softly chuckle a _ gihi _ with what she could only assume was paired with a smug grin.

\---

Gajeel had just entered the small town when the storm rolled in. With an aggravated huff, he pulls his car into a parking space and shoves the gear into park before turning off the car. With how much rain was coming down, he was glad he chose the old junkard over his motorcycle for this trip. He steps out of the car, head hunkered in as he hurries to the door. The old "Welcome In" sign hanging on the library door letting him know it was still open. He couldn’t imagine it got much business during days like this so he wasn’t sure if it would’ve even been open today, but he was glad he took a chance on it.

Stepping inside hearing the cheerful jingle of the bell hanging overhead, he quickly shuts the door against the violent rain and tries shaking off a bit of the water before stepping further into the establishment. Gajeel hangs up his long coat to let it dry off a bit while he got to work. He turns around to see a small girl peeking around one of the shelves, eyeing him curiously. A slight upturn quirked at the edge of his lips seeing the girl’s eyes rake over him. She was cute from what little he could see. Her tousled blue hair held back by an orange bandana, her dainty, pale hand gently pressed against the bookshelf she was trying to hide behind, and big round eyes. He couldn’t tell the color of her eyes from where he stood and from the shadows that cast over her from the towering shelves, but her eyes finally met his and they grew even wider before disappearing behind the old shelf. He couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction, not that he thought she could hear him from that far away any how. If he wasn’t mistaken, he could have sworn her pale skin was tinged a pinkish hue before she hid herself from his sight. 

A cheeky grin still rests on his face as he takes a look around. There wasn’t anything special about this library from the others, but he was given information that it had a book he’s been looking for. So, he packed his bags for a quick getaway and was currently staying in an old rental house just on the outskirts of town for him to get what he had been looking for. There wasn’t any sign of a librarian that he could see as he waited there then wandered nearby through the neighboring shelves.

_ I bet that girl could probably help me. She seems to be a regular here. _ Gajeel thinks, smirking to himself as he heads towards the small corner where he had last seen her.

\---

Levy had returned to her chair and propped open the book she was working on earlier, but her mind couldn’t seem to focus on any of the words in front of her. She shuts the book a bit more forcefully than she had meant to and runs her hand over the cover. Her mind drifts back to the mysterious man. Who was he? Very rarely did their small town ever get visitors. That was the whole reason her pack had moved here years ago. The forest surrounded this town and past its border were larger cities that drew in the tourists. Her pack enjoyed the thrill of the hunt which at times even included humans for those tied to the ancient traditions. She hated the idea of having to grow up during those times, but even so, her pack was not against killing humans. Not if it was for their own safety.

“Hey-” a voice cuts through her thoughts, startling her with another squeak. It was him. He stands there before her with his hands up in surrender. “Whoa, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare ya’ there. Just had a question if you weren’t busy.” He explains, his voice low and almost gravelly. Levy stares at him, noticing the callous on his hands and, now that he was closer, the smell of iron and various metals. She wondered if maybe he worked as a mechanic, but his attire didn’t quite fit that and his hands seemed too clean, free of oil as one normally saw when dealing with a dirty and rigorous job. How did he manage to catch her off guard? She knows she was deep in thought but still…

She mentally shakes her head and focuses on his request. “I’m sorry. What did you need?” She asks him politely, leaning forward in her seat. He lowers his hands to his side as a small grin forms.

“Actually, I was wondering how well you knew the library. There’s a certain book I’m looking for and I was told that I could find it here. I planned on asking the librarian, but you’re the only one I’ve seen…” his voice drifts off letting her put the rest of the pieces together until he adds, “unless you’re..?”

Levy puts her hands up, waving a dismissal at his insinuation. “Oh no. I don’t work here, although I am here probably more than anyone else aside from Ms. Porlyusica.” She chuckles nervously, her hands grip the book in her lap tighter as he shifts her gaze away from his. Clearing her throat, she tries to focus back on his original goal. “So, what book are you looking for?”

He gives her a half smile when she stands up offering her help. Upon closer inspection, he could tell she wasn’t just some small girl, but she was indeed tiny. Her head only reaching the height of his sternum, but he could see a sort of wisdom in those bright, brown eyes of hers. In the shadows, her eyes had definitely looked dark, but being closer he could see the light amber glow in her irises. Her petite body clothed in a snug sweater dress and tights accentuate her curves while the dark orange color of her sweater matching her headband makes the blue of her hair more prominent. He’s seen his fair share of strange hair colors and blue being a pretty common one, but hers was much lighter in color and brighter than most he’s seen before. She leads him down several aisles of shelves before she stops and runs a finger over the spines of books on the shelf at her eye level.

“Ah! Here it is,” she announces proudly and pulls out a dusty, leather bound book- _Noctis Vitae_. The edges of the cover weathered and the edges of the pages yellowing. Strange markings were imprinted along the spine and clasp holding the book firmly shut. It was an old book, ancient by the looks of it. She eyed it curiously before handing it to him. “Looks like you’re the first in a long while to come looking for that book. Makes a girl wonder why someone would come all this way looking for it.” Her brows quirked curiously and her lips a small smile. He returns her inquiring glance with an amused smirk of his own.

“Thanks. You just made part of my job that much easier.” He huffs looking over the bindings and gently brushing off the layer of dust covering it.

“What does the rest of your job require?” 

“Just some time researching through this.” He answers holding up the book she had just given him. “Thanks, again. I’ll let you get back to your corner. You seemed to have quite a bit of your own work stacked up. Hope I didn’t take up too much of your time.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that! That’s actually just some light reading I do on my own. Not work related, so no apology needed. It was my pleasure to help a newcomer. It’s not often we get tourists or visitors through here with the city not too far away.”

“Well, then maybe you should be thanking me for giving you a change of pace from your normal everyday people, _ gihi _,” he winks at her. It was that same chuckle she heard from him earlier. Her face heats up as she turns around quickly and motions him to follow.

“W-Why don’t I show you a few places where you can sit comfortably while you work?” 

Quietly, he follows her while watching her petite figure gracefully walking across the wooden floor. Her footsteps light, barely making a sound in her black ankle boots. It wasn’t like him to just check out strange women he had just met, but this one piqued his interest in a new way. He had thought her hands dainty, but the way she carries herself was strong, poised and confident even if she did seem to get flustered easily. There was an air about her that he couldn’t quite place. He was a pretty good judge in character when it came to people with his line of work and wasn’t easy keeping secrets from him, but he could tell this one had a secret of her own. And he was bound determined to figure it out. After her small tour of the library and the limited options of where to sit, he thanks her again and chooses the nearest table- not far from Levy’s chosen corner she retreats back into.

Time ticks away as the two keep to themselves, save from a few curious glances in each other’s direction. Checking the time, Levy realizes she’s been gone long enough and didn’t want her family finding her place of solace on a pack hunt to track her down. Quickly, she puts away her books, occasionally checking to see if the man was still there and then disappearing down another aisle. She comes back to see if he wanted to check the book out under her name since she knew the library would be closing up soon, to see him gone. There was no scraping of the chair against the wood floor to indicate he had even got up and now he was gone without a trace and no name for her to pair him with. A bit disheartened, she turns away to head back towards the front only to run into the same man she was looking for. His hulking frame nearly knocks the wind out of her as his hands reach out to steady her.

“Whoa, easy there,” his hands on her arms, feeling the slim build of muscle beneath the soft sweater.

“Oh! Sorry!” Levy steadies herself, her hands against his stomach, his hands warm and firm on her arms. _ How the hell did he manage to sneak up on me again?! _ With their close proximity, her nose is overwhelmed with his scent and not just the metal that she picked up on earlier. He had an earthy musk underneath, one that drew her in and takes her mind into the wild when she runs free during the pack’s hunt. She looks up at him with her hands still pressed against him feeling solid muscle beneath her small hands just as she had imagined earlier and quickly moves her hands off of him. He smiles seeing that she’s alright and let’s go of her. “Um, actually I was just looking for you. I thought maybe you had already left…”

He quirks an eyebrow up amusingly and crosses his arms over his chest. “Looking for me, huh? Taking my offer about giving you a change of pace seriously?” He teases. He couldn’t help himself. Seeing how quickly her face warms up in a deep blush, her cute little nose set above her small pouty lips and her round eyes widening even further, it was quickly becoming his favorite thing to do in this small town. She stutters for a reply back, not sure how to answer. A smirk plays on his lips as he watches her struggle for words, so he leans in close to her ear. “How about we just start with a coffee? Meet me at the cafe around the corner from here, 9 o’clock?” His teeth prick her ear lobe just before he pulls back with a sly grin and turns walking away.

Her heart races, unsure of what just happened. The slight throb on her ear where she felt him bite her blurring her mind.

“Uh, wait! I didn’t get-” she tries to stop him from leaving. He grabs his coat off the stand and casually looks over his shoulder.

“It’s Gajeel.” He whisks his coat around his shoulders and exits the quiet space leaving her standing there gawking at his dramatic exit.

“Gajeel..” her voice soft, barely above a whisper. Her entire sanity gone, with the mysterious man she now had a morning date with. She smiles as her fingers softly brush at her ear before finally heading home.


	2. Just Kiss Me

Levy wakes up early the next morning with a smile. Her stomach filled with butterflies but she was excited. Gajeel. That’s what he said his name was and she would meet him at the cafe for coffee in a few hours. Flashes of the night before fill her mind. Meeting him in the library, the feel of his hard, toned muscles and his warm, strong hands on her arms, and most of all his smell. A wolf prides themselves in their sense of smell and remembering everyone’s scents, but his… it unlocked something new in her. A new feeling of freedom she only ever before experienced during a run. It was a scent she wouldn’t soon forget and hoped to envelop herself in. One last glance at the clock, she slings a small bag over her shoulder and walks out into the crisp, cool morning air. The sun nearing the horizon just enough to add enough light to the dark sky as Levy heads to the forest with a light jog. Once she was deep enough in, she finds a hollowed out tree to set her stuff in. A quick survey of her surroundings and a sniff in the air, nothing and no one was near. She sheds her clothes and shoes, placing them in the drawstring bag and tucked it inside the tree. A slight chill runs down her spine and brushes her bare skin. She shakes it off and takes a deep breath. Warmth spreads through her limbs, electricity running through her veins as she feels the change come over her. It was natural. At least for her. That was the biggest difference between pure-breds and those who were made. She was made for this, it was who she was, while for the others it was a curse beyond their control. She pitied them but some had chosen that life, to serve her family and her pack in order to gain this magic of their own.

The change took less than a minute before she was on all fours, her eyes a more yellow hue compared to her natural amber and her fur a steely grey with flecks of smoky blue throughout.Levy gives her body a quick shake loosening her muscles and a small trot in place, feeling the dirt beneath her paws. Her eyes focus forward. And she’s off. Sprinting through the forest, weaving around every tree, dodging every randomly placed boulder, and leaping over fallen limbs. The feel of freedom. The air breezing through her fur, her paws pounding against the soft earth, her lungs burning with every gulp of cold air as she ran faster. This is what she loved about being a wolf. This feeling of freedom when she could run on her own, let loose, be wild, become one with her surroundings. But it wasn’t long before the rest of her pack joined in on their routine morning run…

\---

Levy jogs back to her clothes in her human form again, separate from the pack as she gets dressed. Putting on her shoes, she hears someone jogging her way. She looks out the corner of her eye as she ties her laces seeing Jet getting closer.

“Hey, Levy! Where’ve you been lately? The whole pack has been worried about ya,” the slim man trots towards her, his orange hair sticking up in the back more than usual. 

Levy gives a soft, exasperated huff before standing back up. “Hey, Jet. I don’t really have time to chat.” She tried letting him down easy before he could attempt asking her out...again. He had his sweet moments but she was pretty sure he only went after her to get in her dad’s good graces. Their current Alpha. 

“Aw, come on, Lev. We never see you anymore and I was really hoping I could-“

“No, Jet.” She cuts him off and turns to walk away. “I’m not going to tell you again, besides I really need to be going.”

At first, Jet was hurt but her quick dismissal this time fueled a deep anger he’s held in check for so long. “What’s more important that the pack, huh? You know the hunt is coming soon. He won’t let you off so easy if you miss it.”

Levy could hear the bite in his tone but she just rolled her eyes before turning back to him. “I know. I don’t plan on missing it but that doesn’t mean I have to stay here until then.” She turns back around to leave waving a hand dismissing herself from their little chat. “And a life of your own is more important than the pack, Jet. You should try it sometime.” She leaves him standing there, fuming, as she goes to get ready to meet with a certain dark-haired man. The thought brings a smile to her face and a happy skip to her steps, quickening her pace a bit more. 

—

Levy makes her way to the town’s small cafe with a soft smile and a light hum. It had been a while since she had felt this happy after a run. With her days becoming so routine, it was nearly boring. The soft chime rings as she enters the cafe and looks around. No burly man sticking out among the regulars. She checks her watch to see it read 9:05, mentally scolding herself for being the late one all because she kept fussing over what to wear and trying to tame her wild blue hair. In the end, she opted for a plain navy shirt with her black leather jacket and skinny jeans with her favorite ankle boots. The only thing she could do to manage her hair was to use her signature orange bandana to tie it back away from her face.

“Looking for someone?” a low voice startles her, his hot breath on the back of her neck sending chills down her spine. Levy whirls around and is met with a set of dark green eyes with red streaks closer to his pupils. They were captivating, mysterious, unlike anything she’s ever seen before.

“Gajeel!” She looks at him stunned. How many more times am I going to let him sneak up on me?! She berates herself but gives him a smile.

“So you remembered. I must have left quite an impression on ya, shrimp. Gihi” He gives her a side grin, straightening his back to glance over her at the menu overhead. Levy puffs her cheeks out at him.

“Shrimp?! Wha-” she was about to give him a piece of her mind to have the nerve of making fun of her height.

“Well, it’s not like you gave me a name. Who gives a total stranger an entire tour of the library without introducing themselves?” He asks smugly, glancing down at the tiny woman. Her face heats up as a pinkish hue dusts her cheeks. 

“Well, why would anyone bite a total stranger’s ear if they didn’t even know their name?” She counters in a hushed tone. His eyebrows raised as he looks at her, impressed with her spunk. She puts her hands on her hips, standing proud before him. He might have flustered her when they first met, but this time it was her who took control. “And it’s Levy. Nice to officially meet you.”

“Likewise,” he replies, this time with a real smile.

They reach the front counter and place their orders. Gajeel insisting he pay since it was his idea, after all. He might have not specified this as a date, but the butterflies in Levy’s stomach were telling her otherwise. She leads him to a secluded table away from the other patrons. They sit there quietly across from each other for a few moments as they wait for their order. Levy takes in the bustle around them then lets her eyes rest on the man across from her. He was sitting back in his chair comfortably with his booted foot laying across his leg. He wore the same coat from the night before when she met him but this time with a mossy green cotton shirt underneath to pair with his dark cargo pants matching his coat and his boots.

“So now that you’ve found that book, how long do you plan on staying?” Levy asks breaking the silence between them.

“It depends.” He answers coolly.

“On..?”

He grins at her. “Depends on what else keeps me here.”

Levy props her head against her knuckles letting her elbow rest on the table as she studies him. “Are you always this forward and cryptic when you meet someone?”

The man just shrugs his shoulders just as their coffees and a couple of freshly baked muffins arrive. “Nope. Guess you’re just lucky.” He finally replies as the waiter leaves and takes a careful sip of his drink.

They chatted idly, a lot of dodging questions, neither seemingly willing to divulge any personal information about themselves. She had her secret to protect and he had his, so they focused more on subjects that wouldn’t require either to reveal those hidden pieces of themselves. With a coffee to-go in hand, they leave the cozy cafe and take a stroll, neither wanting to end their time together just yet.

“Thanks again for the coffee, and breakfast, too.” Levy could feel a warmth spreading through her veins and it wasn’t the coffee’s doing. She was really enjoying just spending this time with him. It was casual without any pressure of worrying about giving away her true self. Part of her was glad that he was fine with not talking about anything too personal, but another part made her wonder. Was it because he wanted to keep everything between them basic so they couldn’t get close, or did he have something he was trying to hide as well?

“It was my pleasure, Levy. I couldn’t have asked for a better morning,” came his reply.

A soft blush dusts her cheeks as she smiles up at him until a familiar smell catches her attention. Her gaze flicks around Gajeel, trying to find the source when her eyes finally fall on a few of her pack members coming out of an alleyway down the street from them and headed straight for them.

“Is something wrong?” Gajeel asks, noticing her attention had been diverted and she now seemed to be anxious about something. Levy quickly shifts her stance in front of Gajeel so his towering body blocked her from the oncoming group but her eyes looked up at the man as if she was debating something.

There’s no time. They’ll find me soon unless I can mask my scent a bit more… she contemplates. Her hand grabs the edge of his coat and pulls him closer to her, letting her back rest against the brick wall behind her.

“I need you to kiss me,” she lowers her voice to him. His brows knit together as he looks at her, puzzled by her strange request. It didn’t match with how she was acting.

“I’m sorry, what?” he asks for clarification that he did hear her right. Panic was setting in as her nose tells her how close their getting.

“Just kiss me!” she hisses at him and grabs his collar to bring him down to her, forcibly smashing her lips against his. His body stilled at the shock she gave him, but the feel of her warm lips, encouraged him. With his free hand, he pulls her closer letting his fingers card through her soft blue locks deepening their kiss. A soft hum lodges in her throat as his lips seamlessly glide against hers. For a moment, everything else is forgotten with his scent enveloping her. It wasn’t until she nearly dropped the coffee in her other hand that brings her mind back to reality. She listens closely for the familiar voices that should’ve passed by them and tries to find their scent, but a certain man’s intoxicating smell was trying to bring her back in. When she was sure they were gone, she gently pulls away breaking their kiss. She peeks through her lashes up at him to see his face slightly flushed and his eyes half-lidded as he looks at her.

“Well?” his voice soft and low, rumbling through her body. 

“Well, what?”

“Are you going to explain what that was about?” His tone direct, yet not demanding.

Levy holds her cup with both hands trying to avoid his gaze. “It’s… complicated.”

“Oh really? Well maybe you’ll have more time to tell me over dinner then.” He offers casually taking a sip of his coffee. “What do you say?”

Levy’s eyes widen as she looks up at him, surprised he just accepted her answer so easily. She chuckles at herself. “Dinner would be great.”

Her heart felt lighter, narrowly dodging being caught by her pack as she spends time with a human, and now a real date with this man who managed to make her stomach do flips and put her at ease all at the same time. 

Little did she know, she wasn’t entirely safe. A certain orange haired man having watched the entire thing, wondering who this newcomer was and what he was doing in their town. But more importantly, why was she _with_ him...


End file.
